New route from Izmir Metropolitan Municipality: The Route: Lesbos Island!

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality “pushed the button” to put two of the ferries it will purchase into service outside the national borders. After the procedures are completed, the catamaran ships will sail to Lesbos Island in Greece.

While the attempts for ferry services between Thessaloniki and Izmir continue following the mutual cooperation and joint working agreement executed between Turkey and Greece, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality made the first move.

Shortly after the Izmir visit of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, the Metropolitan Municipality decided to send to Greece the long-distance catamaran ships built in Yalova by Özata Shipyard and sent to Izmir. According to the news by Egedesonsöz, the two big ships listed within the scope of the tender will serve between Lesbos Island and Izmir.

The staff of Transportation Department of the Metropolitan Municipality, and the General Directorate of IZDENİZ are working intensively on this project, which will become clear and operational following the approval of Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu. After that, direct services will start between Alsancak Port of Izmir and Lesbos Island.

TOURISTS TO ARRIVE AT THE CITY CENTER

Today, ferry passengers from Izmir to Greece are carried only to Chios Island. Ege Birlik and Ertürk companies cruise between Çeşme and Chios Island. Last year, Ege Birlik started services to Lesbos Island, and the aim was to have the tourists arriving through Ayvalık-Lesbos Island line, a line with high passenger load, come to the center center. The Metropolitan Municipality now keeps Chios in the background, and has focused on Lesbos Island.

It plans to put the new ferries into service based on the dense population and high potential of Lesbos Island. It will thus ensure that the tourists arriving to Ayvalık and neighbor districts come directly to Izmir. In this way, the tourism facilities and the tradesmen located in the city center will benefit from this situation.

On the other hand, we have learned that the Metropolitan Municipality is trying to complete the documents required for the ferries to serve between two countries to operate in the maritime sector and carry passengers. The municipality is planning to start the services this summer as soon as it obtains the permits.